These Boots
by Oneturtledove
Summary: 'When you see someone putting on his Big Boots, you can be pretty sure that an Adventure is going to happen.' -A.A. Milne
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Do we really still need to write these things? Come on.

A/N: I have no idea where this came from really. I pretty much wrote the entire thing (subesquent chapters included) on my 6 minute drive to work this morning. It has no point but it makes me smile so I thought I would commit it to virtual paper and share.

* * *

The elevator door dinged as it opened and the trio stumbled out, laughing softly together at something that had happened ten minutes before and didn't warrant this much laughter, but was carrying them to frivolity anyway.

"Don't ever let me eat that much again," Beckett sighed, pressing on her stomach. "I feel gross."

"Excuse me, but who can eat half a pizza without breathing?"

"Castle, it's not polite to talk about a woman's eating habits."

"You just were!"

"That's different."

Castle rolled his eyes and shook his head while Alexis fished her key out of her pocket and headed for the door.

"Expecting a package?" she asked, checking the label on the front.

"Oh good it finally came!" Castle said, taking the package from her. "Perfect timing."

"What is it?" Beckett asked warily. He'd spent the last week spoiling her with birthday presents and if this was another one, she was going to sigh as loudly as possible and maybe roll her eyes before she excitedly opened it. He was nothing if not a great gift giver.

"It's for you but believe me, it's practical so don't start making that face."

She pressed her lips together and followed them inside the loft, where Castle started up a pot of decaf coffee.

"Pumpkin, want to stay for a bit?"

"Sure. I was kind of thinking of staying the night. Pi is at that seminar and the apartment is… I never thought I'd need a big strong man around but I kind of do. Do you know how many different creaks sound just like someone rustling around in my living room?"

"How many?" Castle asked with a chuckle.

"All of them. Last night I half woke up and heard something in the kitchen so I grabbed a wire hanger out of the closet for protection. Turns out the fridge makes noise when it's on."

"And how silly did you feel?"

She shrugged.

"Not that silly. I stayed up the rest of the night looking into self-defense classes and totally freaking myself out on that true crime website."

"Your own worst enemy," Beckett chuckled. "The first time I ever stayed home alone overnight, I ended up sleeping on the couch with all the lights on and a knife next to me while reruns of _Law & Order_ played on TV."

"So it's normal?"

"You're not a chicken. You've just been blessed with your father's penchant for letting the imagination take you for a ride."

"Fabulous."

Castle smirked and filled three mugs with coffee, handing one to each of the girls before grabbing a pair of scissors to cut through the tape on the shipping box. Once done, he handed the box to Beckett, grinning from ear to ear in anticipation.

"So it's practical?" she started, surveying the box for clues. "Your definition of practical is miles and miles from mine."

"It's also stylish."

Alexis muttered an "oh no" under her breath as Beckett opened the box, pushing aside the bubble wrap and papers to find a pair of boots. For a split second she was proud of him for finding something so perfect, but then she took a closer look. They were leather, at least parts of them, but they were rubber soled and waterproof, complete with traction and dry linings. It was thoughtful, but not something she would have picked out in a million years.

"See, now you can go to wet and muddy crime scenes without sacrificing your Beckett-look. Aren't they great?"

He was rifling through the box for the thick socks that came with the boots and totally missed the looks that Beckett and Alexis exchanged.

"It's um… it's a really good idea, Castle. Thank you."

"You're welcome. Try them on."

"But-"

"Go ahead. We don't want to get to a crime scene and find out they don't fit."

Reluctantly, she slid her flats off and put the boots on, standing up and wiggling her toes.

"Perfect fit," she said with a nod, while Alexis tried so hard not to laugh she was almost blue in the face.

"Good! I got myself a matching pair. Sort of, I mean, I got myself the men's pair. We can also wear them next time we go seashell hunting at the beach."

"Well, you were right when you said they were practical," she managed. She was grateful of course, and his thoughtfulness meant more to her than the boots ever would, but she couldn't get rid of the voice in her head that kept telling her how ugly her new footwear was.

"Dad, you're not seriously going to make her wear those!" Alexis finally burst out, lifting her eyebrows. "She looks like the original Morton Salt Girl."

Beckett made a face and glanced down at the yellow dress she happened to be wearing.

"She does?" Castle questioned, looking her up and down.

"Yes!"

"Oh but that's okay," Beckett reassured. "Look at it this way, next year's Halloween is taken care of."

Castle nodded.

"Alright. Just let me know when you want to go as the Coppertone baby."

"Dad!"

He chuckled and pushed off the counter, making sure he had his wallet.

"I'm going to run down to the bakery for dessert. I'll be back."

The door clicked behind him and Kate chuckled to herself, still standing there in the boots, finding them comfortable, but a wee bit ridiculous.

"So," Alexis started with a cheeky grin. "Could I have your old boots?"

"Hilarious," Beckett scoffed, tossing a piece of bubble wrap at her.

"Hey, thanks for not totally shutting him down. I think it would have crushed him if you admitted you didn't like them."

"If he hadn't been so excited about them he probably would have noticed."

"Oh well. I guess the crime scene thing is a good point. How many pairs of shoes have you ruined?"

"A lot. Or maybe not ruined, but they were gross enough that I would rather throw them out than try and clean them. You need sugar in your coffee?"

"Yeah, sure."

Beckett slid off the bar stool and walked into the kitchen, stopping partway there.

"And, the boots are squeaky. Great."


	2. Chapter 2

"I'm just saying, we can't entirely rule out life on other planets on the basis of oxygen and water alone," Castle argued as Beckett parked the car. "Just because it's not life as we know it, doesn't mean it's not life."

"But-"

"Look at Honey Boo-Boo."

"What?"

"Now, their life is not one you or I would want. It seems small, right? But they're happy. It's life to them. How are aliens any different?"

"What's that line you say about trailer parks in space?"

"Are we having the same conversation?"

Beckett sighed and ducked under the crime scene tape, waiting for Castle to maneuver under as well before she kept walking.

"Basically what I'm saying is… it's a great big universe and we're all really puny."

"It's time to stop watching _Animaniacs_."

"You watched with me for two hours the other day!"

"I was making the rule for the both of us."

"Okay fine. What is that smell?"

"Castle, this is what is known as the dump."

"When did we get to the dump?"

"When you were prattling on about _Star Trek _being totally feasible in our lifetime."

"Oh. Well now we're on the same page. Tell me we're not climbing up there."

She lifted her eyebrows and began the small trek up the hill of garbage, making disgusted faces as her feet sank into the damp discarded items and Castle complained behind her.

"This is no place to dump a body," he whined. "How come no one ever gets killed on a roller coaster at Coney Island?"

"Hey, if we're promising to be together forever, surely that's enough time to find a dead body at Coney Island."

He grinned widely at her and she winked quickly before making her way to the top of the pile where Ryan and Esposito stood, wrinkling their noses while Lanie inspected the body.

"Watch your step. Filth isn't all that stable," Ryan noted, reaching a hand out for Beckett, who was having trouble finding her footing.

"I'm noticing. What do we got?"

"Female, early 30's, with a blow to the head," Lanie reported. "I see signs of strangulation as well, but until I get her back to the morgue, I don't know if it was part of the cause of death or not."

"How could it not be?" Castle asked, crouching down to look at the body and forgetting the smell for the moment.

"Domestic violence. It could be that a fight escalated to choking but the blow to the head happened later. I'll know more later."

"Any I.D. on her?"

"None. We'll put her description up against the missing persons database and start going through security camera footage," Esposito said. "You guys want in on that?"

"We'll take half the tapes. Lanie, any idea on time of death?"

"Within the last 24 hours, though I can't narrow it down much more just yet. It rained last night, that can really screw up a preliminary T.O.D."

"Let us know when you know?"

"You got it."

"Who called it in?"

"Waste Management, about two hours ago. They're talking to the guys right now, but other than actually finding the body, they don't know much."

"Thanks. Castle, want to come with me and get those tapes or are you going to start rambling about the trash of others?"

"Both."

* * *

"Okay, that's it. I'm starting a petition. All security cameras in the city need to be equipped with night vision."

"I completely agree."

Beckett sighed and sat back in her chair, rolling both of her ankles until they popped. Her boots thunked against the floor as she sat up again, rubbing her eyes and leaning forward in hopes that somehow there would be something to see on this dark video. It seemed like a waste of time, but she was holding out for a flash of headlights at least.

"This is worse than paperwork."

"You can leave, Castle."

"Leave?"

"Yeah, bail. You don't have to sit here and stare at nothing."

"You're right. Which is why I'm going to get up and make coffee."

"The solution to all of life's little problems."

"Exactly. I'm glad you understand the power."

"I will never underestimate it."

He smiled and stood up, sauntering into the break room while her phone chirped in announcement of a new text from Alexis.

_Crime scene at the dump huh?_

It would never fail to amuse her how much Castle told his daughter about his day, even little things like this. It was like he was always bursting forth with news of something or another, and it would make him crazy to keep anything inside.

_I wore the boots. After we were done I just had to hose them off and for an hour your dad wouldn't shut up about what a great present it was._

She set the phone back on the desk and stopped the video she'd been watching, looking through the files to find another view, maybe one with better lighting.

_I think the boots are going become a vital part of family folklore._

She smiled at that and shook her head as Castle came back with two cups of coffee, setting them down on the desk and picking up their conversation about extra terrestrial life as if it had never stopped. Taking the coffee, she smiled and nodded along with him, keeping one eye on the screen and one on every nuance of his face as he expounded upon medical experiments aliens might do and what he would be willing to participate in for science.

The joke about the boots was apparently not the only thing the two of them would be passing down to their children.


	3. Chapter 3

"I reserve my right to be a fella."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means that wedding planning is not for the masculine."

"Castle, that is terribly sexist. We're planning the day that marks the beginning of the rest of our lives together and you don't want to be a part of it? What kind of message do you think that sends me?"

"That I'm lazy and would rather be playing Guitar Hero. And you knew that already."

"I thought love conquered all, but I guess I was mistaken."

"I could use you on drums."

Beckett sighed and tossed the magazine onto the table.

"It's not like I can decide on anything anyway."

Castle frowned and pulled out the other chair, sitting down to inspect the covers of the magazines she had piled up.

"None of this seems to scream "Kate Beckett," does it?" he asked, flipping through the glossy pages.

"No. And I thought… I mean that dress practically jumped out at me, it was so easy, I only shopped for fifteen minutes. I thought everything else would be easy too."

"You know what? Barring a freak accident with the license, at the end of the day, we'll be married and that's really all that matters right?"

She nodded then gave him a devilish grin, quirking one eyebrow up in amusement.

"So then will you wear a kilt?"

"If it makes you happy, with a sporran."

She smiled, remembering the look on his face when her father had come to the loft with a carefully wrapped kilt, and spent ten minutes telling him about the traditions of his family, when they'd still been in the "old country." He'd told the story of one of his ancestors getting on the bad side of nobility and changing his name, fleeing from the place he'd been born and creating his own life as a fugitive. He'd been so serious about it that Castle had wordlessly taken the kilt and nodded, afraid to say no until Beckett and her dad had burst into peals of laughter. The entire story was true, but the requirement of wearing said apparel only fell to descendants, not to those who married in.

"Can you just tell me one thing?"

"Sure."

"If you had to make a choice, like absolutely, no way of getting out of it, had to choose, what color theme would you pick?"

"If I absolutely had to, I would defer to my lovely bride."

He barely escaped the magazine she tried to hit him with, and retreated for the safety of the kitchen as the front door opened.

"Alexis, she just assaulted me with a magazine!"

"I missed!"

"Attempted assault!"

"Are you two done being four?"

"Yes," they answered in unison, casting their eyes down to the floor.

"Good. Because wedding planning is very serious business."

"You know I can't take you seriously when you're being serious."

Alexis tried to bite back the grin but failed, shaking her head and sitting down next to Beckett at the table.

"That's… a lot of stuff."

"Weddings are a big deal."

"Well yeah. What is this list? Why is it four pages?"

"Front and back."

"Front and back?!" Beckett repeated, half shocked, half quoting _Friends_.

"Yes. Of course there are silly things on there like what color your napkin rings will be, so we can skip over those. I found it on a wedding blog, so we'll have to customize it down to a page or two."

Kate nodded and looked it over, sighing at the things she hadn't thought of that were still relevant. Why hadn't invitations occurred to her?

"So dad, what do you… dad?"

"He bailed! I didn't think he would do it when I said he could!"

"He couldn't have slipped out the door and actually left without us noticing could he?"

"Castle?"

"Dad?"

They both got up from the table and circled the loft quietly, listening for the telltale sound of keyboard keys clacking or a remote control car squealing across the floor. Beckett frowned at the lack of noise and pushed the door to his office open, finding a note and two candy bars on the desk.

_Dearest Ladies,_

_Because I would still like to be alive when the wedding happens, and because you do not need the added stress of me suggesting elopement, a beer garden, and deep frying the cake, I have graciously decided to remove myself from this stage of the planning process. _

_But never fear! I shall be back to support any and all decisions made today, and until the end of time because saying "I do" doesn't end at the alter._

_And in case you're worried, I am spending the afternoon getting tux rentals set up, consulting with a photographer, and figuring out how to trick the powers that be into thinking we're getting married at a different venue three months later than we actually are, in order that the paparazzi will be flummoxed. _

_Have a fun day with fabric swatches and flowers and whatever else it is that you're planning today and I'll bring dinner home later. _

_Love,_

_The Most Interesting Man in the World_

"He really thinks a lot of himself doesn't he?" Alexis chuckled, taking one of the candy bars. "Come on, we have work to do."

Amusedly, Beckett followed her back out to the other room and started again to go through the list.

"So how much have you planned so far?"

"Um, a lot actually. I know that there will be a wedding. I know it will take place probably in the daytime. Um, there will be Jordan almonds, I'm guessing. Maybe flowers. Oh, and I have a dress."

"You can't be serious."

"This whole wedding planning thing is so… it puts a ton of stress on something that's not supposed to be stressful."

"Okay, but see, that's why I'm here. You figure out what you want, and I will make it happen."

Beckett wrinkled her nose.

"Doesn't that make me the evil stepmother?"

Alexis shrugged.

"I figure it is in my best interest to make sure you don't go crazy from trying to work, keep dad out of trouble, and plan a wedding. Because if you go crazy, there is no hope left for any of us."

"Well, I appreciate that. A lot."

"Good. Now, do you want to carry flowers or go more non-traditional and have a fourth of July wedding, carry some firecrackers?"

"You are your father's child."

"Too big of a decision? Okay well how about shoes? Did you get them with the dress?"

"Nothing fit. All I know is that I don't want to wear heels because if we end up doing this outside, the heels will sink into the grass. And then I'll fall, and knowing my luck in such situations, the dress will fly over my head and suddenly I really am thinking about eloping."

"You still need shoes for that."

Beckett sighed and sat back in her chair, raking her hands through her hair.

"Maybe I could just wear the boots."

Alexis laughed and made a note on the paper.

"Okay, one down, about three hundred to go."

"You realize I'm not going to actually wear the boots right?"

"I don't know, it might spark a trend. You know they're comfortable, they've come in handy several times, Dad has a matching pair. I don't see the problem here."

"You know what, I think I'm going to wear the boots."

"Living on the wild side. I'm proud to know you."

"I think wedding planning is going to kill me."

"You get a vacation afterwards."

"Ah, the honeymoon. That's a whole other can of worms. I think we're going to have to go to Antarctica."

"Well… at least you have the footwear."


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Quite a time jump in this last chapter. And it's not something I would normally do, but I am tempted to start another project and let it play out. Anyone up for reading that? Let me know.

* * *

"Mommy! Mommy, where did daddy go?"

Kate peeked around the corner and frowned around her toothbrush, counting the number of times she'd been asked that question today.

"To pick up a surprise," she answered quickly, before going back to the sink to spit. The young boy nodded, his shaggy hair falling over his eyes while he looked through the picture album.

"I miss daddy."

"He's only been gone for a while."

"Yes," he agreed, rubbing the edge of his baby blanket against his face. "Daddy likes loud games."

"I like loud games," Kate chuckled, joining him on the bed. "Who played monster fight with you this morning?"

"You did, mommy. But daddy roars better."

"Okay, I'll have to concede the point. What are you looking at?"

"Jus' baby me," he answered, turning the page. "See, baby Finn and uncle Javi."

"Yeah, that's right."

"Finn and Papa Jim. Finn and Gramsy. Finn and mommy. Favorite picture. Mommy, that is a great big smile you got. Daddy says I made that smile."

"Yes you did."

"Finn and daddy," he said, looking back at the pictures. "Boy, we are some good-looking gentlemen."

"My favorite good-looking gentlemen."

"You are a good-looking lady," he said, reaching up to pat her face. "I love you mommy."

"I love you too."

"Good. Oh look. It is baby Finn and Lexi."

He wrinkled his nose and drew his finger across the picture, shaking his head.

"I miss my Lexi. When will she be home? She has been gone so, so long, in the computer."

Kate smiled and reached over to try and tame his hair. No matter how much they explained that Alexis was in Asia, Finn was convinced she lived inside the computer, under that green Skype icon.

"She'll be home soon."

"You always say soon. I real miss her. She's my princess you know."

"I know."

"I need to go travelling," he sighed, closing the photo album and sliding off the bed. "What shoes can I wear today?"

"You can pick whatever you want honey, but don't you want to play with me?"

"No," he sighed, opening the closet door. "I must travel."

She nodded and watched as he rifled through the closet, pulling out a pair of Castle's sneakers and sliding his feet into them.

"I'll be back later, mommy. Don't miss me too much."

"I won't. Go travel. Bring me back something good."

He nodded and she listened as he clopped across the loft and climbed the stairs, headed for his closet. They hadn't figured out what he meant by travelling, or what he did in the closet, but they played into it and it made him happy.

She picked up the photo album and looked through it, smiling at the photos of everyone who loved her son so immensely. From the moment he'd been born, they joked about his throng of admirers and his well stocked bedroom was a testament more to their friends generosity than their own.

She stood up from the bed and went into the kitchen to start lunch, knowing Castle would be back soon. Alexis had been in Asia for almost four months, teaching English to elementary age kids and the family had felt incomplete and off-center without her. It would be good to have her home, and she'd already been working on the speech she would use to convince her step-daughter to move back in with them for a while. She knew that all she had to say was that Finn wanted her to move back and Alexis would be unable to say no, but she couldn't lay such a heavy guilt trip down.

Noodles boiled on the back of the stove while she carefully put together a white sauce and prepared the bread for the oven. She was humming lightly when Finn clambered back into the room, itching the mosquito bite on his forehead.

"Hey buddy, are you back from your trip?"

"No. I was just a-passin' through. Think I's gonna go somewhere else now."

"Like where?"

"Wanna find some penguins," he shrugged. "Want to come, mommy?"

"I need to finish making lunch but how about after we eat?"

"But after food is quiet time," he noted skeptically. "That's the way it goes."

"What do you think about an exception?"

"I like those! Okay, you and me will play after food! I'm gonna still do travelling, but you and me will go somewhere nice and beautiful."

"Sounds great."

He scampered back into the bedroom and closed the door behind him, leaving her to grin over his imagination. He certainly gave his father a run for his money, and the two of them could play in a made-up world together for hours on end. A little part of her was jealous of that, she was more likely to foster their sons artistic side with painting and drawing, or to take him on nature walks. She found herself falling short in the imagination department, but had been working hard at getting better.

The door opened suddenly and she walked quickly around the counter, barely letting Alexis step inside before she wrapped her in a hug.

"You are such a sight for sore eyes, don't ever leave me alone with the boys again."

Alexis laughed and hugged her back, so glad to be home that she was likely to agree to anything.

"Nobody there was my size and I had no one to steal clothes from and I am in serious need of raiding your closet."

"I organized it this morning just for you."

"Bless you, good woman."

They laughed together and stepped apart while the bedroom door creaked open and Finn peeked out hesitantly. He waved at his dad and started to head towards him, but stopped when he saw who else was standing there.

"Lexi? My princess!"

He ran for her as quickly as he could, stumbling over the boots he'd put on, nearly falling down twice before she met him halfway and pulled him into her arms.

"Oh my handsome brother, I missed you so much!"

"I missed you too! This is a surprise, just like mommy said it would be! I love you so much!"

"I love you more. Oh Finn, you have no idea how much I wanted to come home and see you."

"That is because I am the best brother," he explained, nearly strangling her with a hug while wrapping his legs around her. "Please do not go anywhere again."

"Maybe I'll take you with me next time."

"Okay, that's a good plan," he agreed, kissing the end of her nose. "I love you Lexi."

"I love you too. My goodness you're getting heavy. What has mommy been feeding you?"

"Oh lots of food because I am growing. Also my travelling shoes are heavy. They are mommy's boots. They are older than me. But they are good for adventures."

"What kind of adventure did you go on today?"

"The wild jungles of another place. I was looking for penguins, but I found a croc! And I said "danger, danger, danger!" That means that the croc is a friend, but you should not go close because they have very big personal bubbles."

"You've been watching Animal Planet reruns again, haven't you?"

"Yes. Mommy promised we would play after food and I do not have to take a rest. Will you play too? I am keeping the boots on, so I am ready."

"I would love to play too. Why do you think I came home?"

He laughed and snuggled against her with a contented little sigh.

"I think mommy's boots are very good luck."

"You should ask mommy and daddy the story of those boots buddy. I think you'll find out that you're right, they are very, very good luck."


End file.
